Ammunition declipping machine



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Nov. `17, 1953 F. E. COSTELLO AMMUNITION DECLIPPING MACHINE 5 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, 1950 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 17, 1953 F. E. COSTELLO 2,659,263

AMMUNITION DECLIPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 17, 1950 i 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 FIG. 4.

'2 03 Ll- `Q V) s, n

N r: 9 S e Vs Q e s a @MA E@ INVENTOR. FRANK E. COSTELLO.

ATTORNEYS.

@Awww Nov. 17, 1953 F. E. COSTELLO AMMUNITION DECLIPPING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 17, 1950 INVENTOR. FRANK E. COSTELLO. Z1

ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 17, 1953 F, E. COSTELLO 2,659,263

AMMUNITION DECLIPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 17, 195o l 5 sheets-sheet 5 Patented Nov. 17, i953 AMMUNITION DECLEPPING MACHINE Frank E. ostello, Fhiladelphia, Pa.

Application August 17, 1950, Serial No. 180,020

(Cl. 8f3-i7) (Granted under Title 35, lU. S. Code (1952),

seo. 266) 6 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes Without the payment of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates broadly to machines for acting on ammunition. In particular it is a machine for declipping ammunition rounds, i. e., removing the rounds from a specially formed, spring steel clip or other holder.

Those familiar with the art undoubtedly are acquainted with the manner in Which ammunition rounds for such rifles as the Garand and the Springeld are held by their cartridge cases in groups, usually of nve or eight rounds each, by the resilience of a spring steel clip or like holder. Following manufacture and clipping of the rounds, it sometimes becomes necessary, for repacking or salvage reasons, to declip them. Trieretofore such declipping was performed manually with the use of jigs, fixtures, or the like; or it was performed in machines which, because of their unreliable action, required a comparatively great amount of time and supplementary manual IThe feed slide again reciprocates toward the knockout slide, pushing the second clip to the position previously occupied by the first clip, and advancing the first clip fully under the knockout slide. On the next down stroke of the slide, two more rounds are pushed from the clip, allowing the remaining nve to drop therefrom by gravity, and one round will simultaneously be pushed from the second clip.

handling. Both prior art methods, needless to say, were highly hazardous and inefiicient.

I eliminate the hazards and inefficiency of the prior art methods and machines, and at the same time gain hitherto unobtainable quantative production by providing a machine which basically consists of a horizontally extending guideway, a horizontally recprocatable feed slide mounted therein, a vertically arranged feed chute, and a vertically reciprocatable knockout slide.

Although not limited solely thereto this de scription will, for illustrative purposes, deal with a bench model of such a machine for declipping the eight round clip or caliber .3G ammunition as prepared for use in the Well known Garand riiie.

Under control of an automatically operating clip stop, a first clip carrying its rounds of ammunition is permitted to drop into the machines guideway. The feed slide approaches the assembled cartridge clip and pushes it partially under the knockout slide so that one round of ammunition will be removed from the clip cn a suloseu quent downstroke of the knockout slide.

While one round is being removed from the clip, the feed slide reciprocates back past the feed chute and a second cartridge clip is allowed to fall to the machines guideway. By this time the knockout slide has completed its downstroke and has returned to its highest position. The separated round of ammunition is guided by a chute to a proper receptacle.

While the knockout slide is descending, the feed slide again reciprocates back past the feed chute and a third cartridge clip is allowed to fall to the machines guideway. By this time the knockout slide has completed its down stroke and has returned to its highest position.

The feed slide again reciprocates toward the knockout slide pushing the third clip into the position formerly held by the second, pushing the second clip into the position formerly held by the rst, and pushing the iirst clip to a new position.

' On its next down stroke, the knockout slide removes one round from the third clip and two rounds from the second clip, thereby allowing the remaining ve rounds in that clip to fall. A second clip thus becomes emptied of its ammunition rounds. As the cycle is repeated the empty clips are finally ejected from the machine one by one.

One object of my invention is to provide a safe, positive-acting declipping machine.

Another object is to provide a declipping machine capable of high quantity production.

A further object is to provide a declipping machine which is simple in design and construction, and easy to operate and maintain.

The foregoing and other objects and advan tages of my invention will become apparent after an inspection of the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of my machine without Workpieces, various protective guards having been removed for purposes of clarity;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken along line 2 2 of Fig. l and shows various work pieces during progressive stages of operation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a partial plan View taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side View of the machine, without workpieces, taken along line d--li of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end view taken along line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken along line G-f of Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken along line 'l--l of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken along line 8 8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 9 9 of Fig. 4 and shows various workpieces in position;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view, without workpieces, taken along line IIJ-lil of Fig. 4;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross section, without workpieces, taken along line H-ll of Fig. 4;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along line I2-l2 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 13 is a cross section taken along line I'3-i3 of Fig. 2.

Mcchines basic structure As shown in Figs. 1, 4, and Y1l., my machine is built upon similarly dimensioned front and rear base strips 29 and 2|, respectively. A left vertical support 22 (see Figs. 1 and 4110.6) and a right vertical support 23 .(see Figs. l, 4, 7, 10.

and 1l) are secured to the base strips by any convenient means, as by screws (not shown). These supports are parallel to each other and extend perpendicularly across the base strips. The supports are substantially trapezoidal in shape and `identical in size. Vertical support 23, for a purpose which will later be evident, is provided with a U-shaped groove 2s (see Figs. 'l and 11) in its upper surface. Spanning the gap between the vertical supports, and secured tothe coplanar top surfaces thereof as by screws 25, are parallel front top plate 25 and rear top plate 2l (see Figs. 1, 3, 4, 6 to l1, and '13). These top plates are so positioned upon the vertical supports 22 and 23 that a certain gap 2S, continuous with U-shaped groove 24, exists between them for a reason which will later be explained.

Secured to the left portion (see Figs. l, 3, 7 and 8) of the opposed inner faces of the top plates, as by screws (not shown), are feed slide guide strips 29. Clip guide strips 3i Vare secured by means of screws se to the right portions of the upper faces of the top plates so las to be flush with them on both 'top surface and the in" wardly facing surfaces (see Figs. '1, 3, 9 to 1l and`18).

Drive portion A flanged bushing 32 is mounted in left vertical support 22 by means of screws 33 (see Figs. 1, 4 and 6). Axially aligned with the bushing and secured to base strips 20 and 2l, Vby means of screws 34, is a pillow block 35 (see Figs. 1, 4 and 5) Supported between the bushing and the pillow block is a Yiiywheel shaft 35.

The flywheel shaft is secured within its supports by means of a washer 3l and nut 3S located at its right end (see Fig. 4) .and by a hand wheel 39 and a nut 40 at its left end (see Fig. 5). Integral withrshaft 35 is a pinion portion 4l.

A circumferentially grooved flywheel i'having a castellated hub portion 53, and a casteilated clutch collar i4 having a circumferential groove 45, are mounted on shaft 36 between pillow block 35 and pinion 4i (see Figs. 1 and 4). The flywheel is prevented, by any convenient means (not shown), from axial movement on the shaft, but is free to rotate independent of the shaft. As shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, a lexibleconnector 46, preferably a V belt, extends around the ny.. wheel and connects it to any convenient source of power, as an electric motor (not shown).

Castellated clutch collar 44 is splined to ,flywheel shaft 36 so as to rotate therewith and to be capable of axially sliding thereon. Engagement and disengagement between iiywheel 42 and clutch collar 44 is eected by means of a clutch lever il having the yoke portion 48.

Clutch lever 4l is supported by and pivots upon the conveniently located post 49 to which it is secured by means of a nut 5B, the post being attached to .front base strip 2l) by means of the bolt 5|. lThe yoke portion of the clutch lever straddles castellated clutch collar 44 and is engaged thereto by means of studs 52 (one of which is shown in Fig. .1) which travel in the clutch collars groove 45.

"Press-fitted in axial alignment in left and right vertical supportsZZ and 23 are anged bushings 53 (see Figs. 1, 4 and 11). Extending horizontally between the bushings is a cam shaft 54S (see Figs. l, 4, 6, 7, 11 .and l2) which is retained therein in any convenient manner.

A gear 55, to which a cam 55 is secured by means of -screws 5l, is keyed to the cam shaft and securedin position bymeans of a nut .58 (see Figs. 1 Vand 4 to 6). The rise of this cam is designated by reference character 59. On the right side of left vertical support Z2, a wobble cam 5G .having the groove 6l is keyed to the cam shaft and is held in place thereon by means of a set screw 52 (see Fig. 4).

Secured to the right end `of the cam shaft by means of a pin Sis the knockout slide cam Gli. This cam, as will become evident later, has a certain angular relationship to wobble cam 50.

Feed chutes and supports Centrally located above the gap 28 between top plates 26 and 21, and secured to them by means of screws 65, arefeed `chute supports and 6'! (see Figs. 1 to 5 and 7 to 9). As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7 to 9, Ythe lower central portion of the chute vsupports is recessed at 58 for a reason which will become apparent later. 4Accommodated ina groove on theinner .opposing faces of the supportaandheld .in place ,there in spaced relation to each other by .screws G9, are channellike 'feed chutes lil. These chutes are ,so positioned that the channels face each other and between them dene an opening linto which the assembled clips are fed to the machine. Between the chutes opposing edges is the space 1i.

At their upper ends, the feed chutes fit into complementary channel-like blocks 'l2 which are recessed internally to receive them and which are held together by means of screws T3 (see Figs. l, 4 and 5). The recesses (not shown) in the blocks define the distance across the space 'il between the feed chutes (see Figs. 4 and 5). The sides and bottoms (see Fig. 1) of the channel-like blocks are shaped outwardly from bottom to top and, in combination, present an inverted bellmouth opening 14 which is continuous at its smaller end with the opening dened by the Afeed chutes 'lil earlier mentioned.

'Each feed chute support is also provided with bilateral lobes 'l5 located near the supports upper end and spaced equidistant from the center of the feed chute (see Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 9), and each lobe is provided with a cylindrical recess which will be discussed later.

Dovetail slide holder, clip release shaft, and clip release jack shaft Fastened to the left end of rear top plate 2l by means of screws 16 is a dovetail slide holder 1l (see Figs. l and 4 to 6) This slide holder contains a vertically positioned dovetail groove `I8 (which accommodates a dovetail slide 19) and a recessed lobe t@ (see Figs. 5, 6). The recess in the lobe is in alignment with the recesses in the rear lobes of the feed chute supports and between them they support the horizontally positioned clip release shaft 8i (see Figs. l, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9).

Dovetail slide 1S is provided, near its lower end, with a roller 82 which is secured in place by the shoulder` screw 83 about which it is free to rotate (see Figs. 4 and 6). As those figures show, the roller rests upon cam 55, and the cams rise 59 will impart vertical reciprocation to the dovetail slide.

The clip release shaft is equipped with a shaft link 84, a slide link S5, a forked return arm 86, a handle 'l for shaft B! a feed link 83, and a clip stop 8S. Shaft link Sli is pinned at Sil to the left end of the clip release shaft (see Figs. 1, 4 to 6). Slide link 85 is attached at its upper end to the distal end of the shaft by means of a screw Si about which it is free to rotate. The lower end of the slide link is attached to dovetail slide 19 by means of the shoulder screw 92 about which it is free to rotate (see Figs. l, 4 to 6). Return arm 85 is adjustably secured to the clip release shaft by means of the clamp screw 83 (see Figs. 1, 4 and '7). Handle 8l is tightly secured to the clip release shaft di by means of the clamp screw Q5 (see Fig. li) Adjacent the left feed chute support 66 the feed link 88 is attached to the clip release shaft by means of the clamp screew 95 (see Figs. l and 2). Clip stop 89 is located in the space il between feed chutes le and is adjustably secured to the clip release shaft by means of the clamp screw 9S (see Figs. l and 9). Secured in a groove at the inner end of the clip stop, by means of screw tl', is a stop plate 98 (see Figs. l and 9).

Clip holding and release system Located in rear top plate 2l, under the free end of return lever E5, a anged bushing 99 is so positioned that its flange abuts the lower surface of the top plate (see Figs. e and 7) Passing vertically through the bushing and slideable therein is a threaded spring stud Ii). The spring stud, at its upper end, is threadedly attached and pinned (not shown) to a stud yoke l @i Extending from the stud yoke to the outer end of return arm 86 is a return link ibi? (see Figs. 4, 5 and 7). The upper end of the link is secured to the forked end of the return arm by means of a pin |93 which is held in place by any convenient means (not shown). The lower end of the link is attached to the stud yoke by means of a pivot its which may also ce held in place in any convenient manner (not shown).

The lower end of spring stud i630 is equipped with a spring seat it, which is slidable thereon, and a nut 95 (see Figs. 4 and 7) Confined between the flange of bushing 98 and the spring seat is a coil spring lill which constantly acts to push the lower end of the spring stud away from the rear top plate 2. `Spring i0? also constantly acts to force roller 22, attached to dovetail slide 19, against earn 5t through the medium of spring seat E85, nut ille, spring stud H30, stud yoke lill, return link 02, return arm 8S, clip release shaft di, shaft link B13, slide link 35, and dovetail slide 79 (see Figs. 4 to 7) The amount of force exerted by the spring can be increased or decreased by changing the position of the spring seat up or down along the spring stud.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 8, feed link 8 is provided at its inner end with a slot H38. This slot is engaged by a stud 109 located in a complementary feed link l I0. The complementary feed link is secured to a clip release jack shaft i I l by means of a clamp screw l2 while the jack shaft is horizontally supported in opposing lobes l5 of the feed chute supports t6 and tl' parallel to the clip release shaft 8l. The clip release jack shaft, like the main clip release shaft t l, also provided with a clip stop I i3 which is located opposite the clip stop 89 and is secured to the jack shaft by means of clamp screw H (see Figs. 1, 4, 9). As in the case of clip stop 39, a stop plate IE5 is secured in a groove by means of screw H5 to clip stop HS (see Fig. 9).

Knockout slide supports, knockout sZzcZe and keepers Centrally located in horizontal spaced relationship above gap 28 between top plates 2E and 27 and secured to them by means of screws l Il, are knockout slide supports i it which face toward each other (see Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 1l). For reasons which will later be explained, the bottom surface of the slide supports is recessed at l i 9 in the region overlying the gap. The opposing inside faces of the slide supports are provided with a groove l2@ which extends in a vertical direction, and the outer faces of the supports are provided withv another groove l2! which also extends vertically.

Accoinmodated within the nrst mentioned groove it is knockout slide 22 which carries the punches 23 held in place by the set screws 224.

Secured to the outside faces of the slide supports by means of screws H25 are keeper plates i2 which are provided with grooves i2? and slot 23 (see Figs. 2 and l0). When the keeper plates are in position on the slide supports, grooves iBS and if? are complementary to each other, forming a substantially square and vertically extending open-ended chamber i253 which slidably accommodates a keeper |362.

As shown in Fig. 2, the keepers have shaped lower ends 13 which face toward the inachines feed chutes and the outside surface of each keeper is provided with a stop pin ft2 which, at assembly, slidably engages slot E28 in the keeper plate to limit downward movement of the keeper.

Located in the upper end of each keeper is a blind recess ISS which accommodates one end of the coil spring |34. The other end of the coil spring fits around a stern 35 and against the shoulder |36 of a threaded adjusting stud it?. This stud engages with the cap plate i532 held in place atop the coplanar top surfaces of the slide supports and the kee er plates by means of screws 139 (see Figs. l and 2).

It can easily be seen that the keepers are constantly urged downward by action of spring i315, and that the downward pressure of the keeper can be increased or decreased according to the in or out position of the threaded adjusting studs it?. However, when no workpiece is under the keeper, the downward movement of the keeper is arrested when pin i3?9 reaches the lower extras ity of slot 28 in the keeper plates Reciprocation of knockout side Reciprocation of the knockout slide results from rotary oscillation of the slide sha t which is horizontally supported near each of its ends by the bushed bracket @di above rear top plate 2E (see Figs. l, 2, e, 5, 1l, 12). The bracket is secured to the rear top plate by any well known means, as by screws (not shown).

Secured to the left end of slide 'shaftld by means of a pin M2 is a slide lever its having a short,.forked arm Elifaand a longer arm i- (see Figs. l, and ll). Secured to the right end of the slide shaft by rneans Vof a clamp screw ist is the cam arm Ml' which carries at its extremity a roller i ill which is secured in place by the shoulder screw iffi upon which it is free to rotate. Roller M3 is in contact with slide cam dllsecured to cam shaft 5i (see Figs. l, i and 12). Rotation of the cam shaft causes pendulum-like swinging of the earn arm. This swinging results in oscillation of deslide shaft Idil.

The short, forked arm hifi of slide lever 5F13 carries a circumfeentially grooved stud tt which is secured in place by any convenient means (not shown). The stud is fitted with an S shaped hook 555 to which is attached the upper end of a slide return spring 52. The lower end of the spring is anchored around a circumferentially grooved stud i5 which is threadedly attached to rear base strip Zi as shown in Fig. 1l. As that figure shows, short forked arrn [fnl of slide lever i133 is constantly being pulled downward, this action causing a constant tendency in long arm i515 to be raised and in the roller ifl'i to be held against slide earn ed.

Long arm ilii is attached to a yoked stud itl@ by means of the pin 55 which is secured in the stud in any convenient manner (not Shown). The yoked stud in turn is slidably engaged in the flanged bushing 56 which is secured to knockout slide 122 by means of screws it? (see Figs. 2, 4)

The feed slide and its guides Located in the gap Z8 between front and rear top plates and 2l, at the left end of the machine, is the feed slide itil (see Figs. l, 2, 3, Il, 7, 8) The feed slide is just wide enough across to slide freely between feed slide guide strips 2% and clip guide strips 3i attached to the front and rear top plates (see Figs. 1, 3, "I, 8) and is just slightly greater in thickness than that of the top plates. rFhis construction enables the feed slide to reciprocate along the length of the machine between the upper and lower surfaces of plates 2t-2l, as will later be described.

The upper surface of the slide contains, at its right end, a specially shaped insert itil which is adjustably secured there by means of screws IE in the inserts oblong slots 63 (see Figs. 2 and 3) At its left end, the upper surface of the feed slide contains a groove l@ into which fits the tongue it on the lower surface of a slide plate itt. This plate is attached to a roller plate itl which is located against the slides lower surface and which has a tongue 53 fitting into a groove its on that lower surface (see Fig. 7). Screws ilo which transiix the slide hold the slide plate and the roller plate against the feed slide, and permit reciprocation of the feed slide lengthwise of the machine between the upper and lower surfaces of the two top plates.

Roller plate i'i has a lobe lii into which is fitted the stud V52 of a roller H3, the stud being retained by set screw i'l. Roller lit, in turn, engages with groove ti in wobble cam Attached to the undersurface of front top plate 2S by means of screws (not shown), and positioned to slidably support a projecting portion i245 of the roller plate, is a feed slide hanger llt. The length of this member E16 from left to right (see Fig. ll) is great enough to provide support all during the reciprocal travel of the feed slide.

The right end of the feed slide is provided with anV integral forked, winged portion ill which is slidably supported against the lower surfaces of the front and rear top plates by means of the feed slide tracks Hi8. These tracks are secured tothe underside of each of the top plates by means of screws (not shown). The feed slide tracks, like the feed slide hanger, are long enough to provide support for the winged portion during the full movement of the feed slide.

Attached to the forward surface of front base strip 2) by screws lli), and extending any convenient distance across the front of the machine, is a discharge chute it which slopes downward from front to rear (see Figs. l, i and 11). rlhis chute is cleft at itl in order to guide the ammunition rounds around spring E52. After the rounds are separated from the clips, they fall to discharge chute It which guides the-rn to a proper receptacle (not shown), the empty clips being discharged out the right end of the machine as will be described later.

Devient Located on the front top plate t between knockout slide supports lic is the sL ring loaded detent it (see -Figs. l, 3 and 1C). 'lhe datent is slidably contained in a housing 322 which is cured to the top plate by means of screws i535., and its projecting end is so positioned that it estends somewhat into the path taken by the a1nmunition round clips i953, and will releasably engage a notch located in the clips so as to hold the clip in position under the knockout slides punches i25. A coil spring (not shown) located in a shouldered recess (not shown) within the detent housing tends constantly to urge the de-l tent into the path of clip i9@ but, at the proper time, will yield to allow the detent to travel away from gap 2S. The outermost position of the detent is limited by a shoulder (not shown) located on that part of the detent within the housing. The coil spring is held within the housing by means of end plate H which is fastened to the housing by means of screws Stripper Located on rear top plate 2l between the knockout slide supports i i3, and secured there by means of screws l', is the stripper i823 (see Fig. ll). The strip-per contains a projecting portion l@ which overhangs gap 2t between the front and rear top plates and, while not interfering with the horizontal movement of the clips, will prevent the clips thereunder from rising vertically out of place when knockout slide i221. ascends after its downward, working stroke.

8 round clip The workpiece which is illustratively dealt with in the drawings consists of a specially formed spring steel clip ES@ having, for purposes of its operation in the Garand rie, a head portion iti and resilient side portions 92 (see Figs. 2 and il). The head and side portions form at their juncture a shoulder H33. The distance across the head portion is somewhat greater than the distance across the gap 23 between the front and rear top plates, and the distance across the side portions is slightly less than the width of gap It is thus possible for clip head iti freely to slide along the gap under influence of feed slide itil. The head end of the clip is provided with arcuate cut-out ISM at each end and with small notches H35 (see Figs. 2 and 3).

Restrained in clip i9@ by the resilience of its side portions are two staggered rows of ammuni- 9 tion rounds, each round consisting of a cartridge case |96 with its assembled bullet i9?. As Figs. 2, 3 and 9 indicate, the base ends (not shown) of the cartridge cases t into the clip, while the bullet ends project therefrom.

Operation. without workpieces In order to convey a clear picture of the operation of my inventive machine, I shall briey describe its functioning before the workpieces are placed therein.

Assuming the clutch collar il (see Figs. l and 4) to be disengaged from the castellated hub portion i3 of the flywheel d2, the clutch level' il will be at its extreme left position (not shown). A source of power such as an electric motor (not shown) is energized and the grooved flywheel connected thereto through belt et is caused to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the machines left end (see Fig. 5). Because the flywheel floats on its shaft 3S, that shaft does not yet rotate.

The clutch lever di' is moved to its furtherinost position on the right (see Figs. l and 4) pivoting on the post i9 and causing the levers yoke portion d8 to move the clutch collar into engagement with the castellated hub portion of the flywheel. Consequently, the rotation of the flywheel is imparted to the flywheel shaft 3&3 because of th splined engagement between the shaft and the clutch collar.

Pinion il (see Figs. l and 4) is integral with the shaft and also rotates in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed from the left (see Figs. 5 and 6). This causes clockwise rotation of gear 55, its attached cam t, and the cam shaft 5d to which they are secured (see Figs. l, fi to 6). Wobble cam 65S and knockout slide cam tl, which are also secured to the cam shaft, are likewise turned in a clockwise direction as viewed from the -V machines left end (see Figs. '7 and l2). 'Rotation of cam E@ causes intermittent vertical reciprocation of dovetail slide i9 within its support l? through the medium of roller il? which is rotatably secured tc the slide and constantly held against the cam by coil spring iil'i, as earlier described.

By means of slide link 85 and shaft link Srl (see Figs. l, Ll to 6) the reciprocation of the dovetail slide is converted into rotary oscillation of clip release shaft t! about its axis (see Figs. 5 to 9). Feed link 8S (see Fig. 8) and clip stop Si? (see Fig. 9), through their attachment to this shaft, are also given intermittent rotary oscillation. The motion of the clip release shaft is transmitted to clip release jack shaft l i l containing a second clip stop I I3 by means of the engagement between the feed link E23 and complementary feed link i li) (see Figs. l, 1i, 5, 8). Coaction between the two shafts causes the clip stops il@ and H3 to have simultaneous, but directionally opposite, intermittent rotary oscillation about their axes. In other words, referring to Fig. 9, the shafts 3i and l i l simultaneously rotate either toward or away from each other, causing stop plates 98 and H5 to be raised to a holding or lowered to a release position.

Because of the constant rotation of wobble cam 61B, and its engagement to roller plate ist by means of roller VFS and groove ti, feed slide i559 undergoes intermittent horizontal reciprocation.

Intermittent vertical reciprocation of the knockout slide 22 results from periodic rotary oscillation of slide shaft Mt in the following manner. Attached to the outer end of the shaft is cam arm lli? which contains roller hit that isv held against knockout slide cam 5st by means earlier described. The constant rotation of the knockout slide cam causes intermittent pendulum-like swinging of the cam arm. Attached to the left or inner end of slide shaft ifl is slide lever |43 to which is imparted the intermittent rotary oscillation of the shaft. The movement of this shaft is synchronized with the vertical reciprocation of the feed slide by means of the engagement between the slide lever and the yoked stud 55 (see Fig. 1l).

'Io summate the foregoing details of the dry (i. e. without workpicces) operation of my machine, and to mention the various functions in chronological order, these actions take place: Starting with feed slide i6@ at the left end of its travel (see Fig. l) at which time clip stops tt and H3 are in holding position (see Fig. 9)

and knockout slide 22 is in its uppermost position (see Fig. 2), the feed slide begins moving toward the right. It reaches the limit oi' its travel in that direction, dwells momentarily, then starts back to the left limit. As it continues in that direction, the knockout slide descends, then ascends. When the feed slide, still traveling toward the left, has cleared feed chutes 'la the clip stops are momentarily turned to their release position then back to the holding position. The feed slide reaches the left limit or' its travel, which is its starting position, dwells there momentarily, and then the cycle is repeated.

Operation. with. workpieces Although my machine need not of necessity be placed in any one particular starting position, the discussion o1` its operation with workpleccs will be Iacihtated by beglnnlng the description with the understanding that certain relationships exlst between the machines components. with clutch collar lli disengaged, handwheel 39 can be turned 1n either direction, but preferably counterclcckwlse as viewed from the left end, until roller SZ on dovetall slide is 1s resting at the bottom of rlse es of cam et (see Flg. When this relationship exists, feed slide ist will be at the left end o1 lts travel, clip stops ils and H3 will have turned to thelr uppermost holding position (see lug. 9), and knockout slide iZE will be at the top of its stroke see Figs. 2, 4, 1l).

Clips ISU containing the ammunition rounds are introduced into feed chutes lll, bullet ends downward, through the bell-mouthed openlng 'le formed by complementary channel-like blocks i2 at the top 0I the chutes. Since the dimenslon between stop plates 98 and H is not great enough to allow the cllps head portion Eel to pass, the descent of the nrst clip down the chute is stopped as the cllps shoulder le?, abuts the stop plates (see Fig. 9). The succeeding rounds then build up, one upon the other, until the capacity of the chutes is reached.

Handle 8l attached to clip release shaft 8i is swung in a clockwise direction as Viewed from the machlnes left end (see Fig. 5). This action causes clip stops te and l i3 to rotate downward to their release posltlon. Stop plates 93 and it separate sumciently to allow the vertical stack of workpieces within feed chutes lc to drop downward. The lowermost cartridge clip enters gap 28 until the cllps shoulder w3, being too wide to pass through the gap, abuts the upper surface of the top plates.

When the handle 8l is released, action of coil spring I0? causes the clip stops to return to their @diagramma fiywhjsersciasi 1i see Figs. l; and EL f Rotating wobble rca :casetad,l

lpunches 23; 'entering thev clips farcuatez cutout ng one fammunitiongiound fromI the concisa-reg thus slightjg @WL ly i1 E I 1ark the right is completed, the second clip contacts the rst clip. Feed slide it@ keeps moving to the right until the first clip is pushed into alignment with both punches of the knockout slide. When that happens, detent ES?. will have engaged notch H95 in the clips head and one end o the second clip will be in the position previously oc* cupied by the rst, i. e. one end (adjacent the first clip) will be aligned with one punch of the knockout slide.

With the clips properly positioned, the feed slide starts again t the left end4 of its travel as the knockout slide descends. On this stroke two additional ammunition rounds are removed from the first clip, allowing the remaining ilve to fall out by gravity, and one round is removed from the second clip.

By action previously described, a third cartridge clip is deposited in gap 2S and again the feed slide begins its travel toward the right. The slides insert contacts the third clip and pushes it along toward the other two clips. The third clip abuts the second, which already abuts the first and, as the feed slide continues its movement, the third clip is placed in the position just formerly occupied by the second and the second is placed in the position occupied by the first. The rst clip is moved to a new position in which its end abutting the second clip is still in alignment with one punch in the knockout slide, although the first clip has been emptied of its rounds.

As the machine continues its operation, repetition of the previously detailed steps takes place. Finally, the emptied clips are pushed along to the end of gap 28 from where they fall into anl v v awaiting receptacle Knot: shown),i thepreviously: f E i r ejected: ammunition rounds; vhavizrng- :also :been: I

guided .to another container not shown)v bl I 1 :chutg8:El

Conclusionpffv ceti gimovjeoient mit-,hei chute to:

r operating' parait,

tridge therebeneath and which extends on its downstroke past the uppermost surface or" the guideway beneath it, and means for operating said reciprocating feed member so that whenever said punch is moved to its most extended pcsiticn it will register with the heads of the cartridges on the ends oi' adjacent pairs of clips being urged along said guideway, whereby the punch will force the so contacted cartridges out of their clips to loosen the remaining cartridges and start their fall from the clips by torce of gravity.

2. 1n a machine for removing ammunition cartridges, each comprising a bullet, a cartridge oaseand contents thereof, from clips holding them under spring pressure, the combination oi a vertical eed chute for supplying loaded clips with bullet ends downward to the machine, clip release means selectively imposing a barrier Within said feed chute for admitting the loaded clips one by one from the chute to the next station in the machine, cam controlled means for operating said clip release means at proper intervals, a horizontal guideway extending from `beneath feed chute to other stations in the machine for directing movement of the loaded clips from the chute to those other sta-tions, a horizontally reciprocating feed slide and plate operating parallel to said gudeway to move predetermined distances to predetermined positions therealong, a vert'cally reciprocating knockout slide bearing at least two vertically acting punches which are axially aligned with the cartridges therebeneath and which extend on their downstrokes past the uppermost surface of the guideway' beneath L l those stations a horizontally reciprocating feedthem, and cam controlled means for operating said reciprocating feed slide and plate so that whenever said punches are extended to their lowermost position they register with the heads of the cartridges on 'the ends of adjacent pairs of ,clips being urged along said guideway, whereby the punches force the so contacted cartridges out of their clips to thus loosen the remaining cartridges and enable them to drop from the clips by force of gravity.

3. In a machine for removing cartridges from clips holding them under spring pressure, the combination of a vertical feed chute for supplying the clipped cartridges in correct position to the machine proper, clip release means selectively imposing a barrier within said feed chute for regulating the supply nf clipped cartridges from the chute, a horizontal guideway extending from beneath said feed chute to other stations in the machine for directing movement of the clipped cartridges from the chute to those other stations, a horizontally reciprocating feed member operating parallel to said guideway to move the clipped cartridges predetermined distances to predetermined positions therealong, spring stressed vertically acting keepers for retaining the clipped cartridges in proper alignment as they are moved along the guideway, a vertically reciprocating knockout slide bearing a punch which is axially aligned with the cartridge therebeneath and which extends on its downstroke past the uppermost surface of the guidewav beneath it, and means for operating said reciprocating feed member so that whenever said punch is moved to its most extended position it will register with the heads of the cartridges on the ends of adjacent pairs of clips being urged along said guideway, whereby the punch will force the so contacted cartridges out of their clips to loosen the remaining cartridges and start their fall from the clips by force of gravity.

Ll. A cartridge declipping machine, including, a guideway along which clips to be unloaded of their cartridges are made to move, a reciprocating feed member operating parallel to said guideway to move the clins predetermined distances to predetermined positions therealong, a reciprocating punch member located perpendicular' to said feed member and guideway and slidable into and out of the clips in axial alignment therewith so as to engage an end of at least one cartridge and push cartridges so contacted out of the clips, cam-operated mechanism for reciprocating said punch member, a clutch controlling the connection and disconnection between said cam-operating mechanism and a source of power, and means for operating said reciprocating feed member so that whenever said punch is moved to its most extended position it will register with the heads of the cartridges on the ends of adiacent pairs of clips being urged along said guideway, whereby the punch will force the so contacted cartridges out of their clips to loosen the remaining cartridges and cause their fall from the clips by force of gravity.

5. A cartridge declipping machine, including, a guideway along which clips to be unloaded of their cartridges are made to move, a reciprocating member operating parallel to said guideway to move the clips predetermined distances to predetermined positions therealong, a detent resiliently mounted so as removably to engage an accommodating recess therefor in each clip moving along said guideway thereby temporarily to locate the clip in a predetermined position, a reciprocating punch member located perpendicular to said reciprocating member and guideway in registry with each clip positioned by said detent and slidable into and out of the clip in axial alignment therewith so as to engage an end oi at least one cartridge and push cartridges so contacted out of the clip, cam-operated mechanism for reciprocating said punch member, a clutch controlling the connection and disconnection between said cam-operating mechanism and a source of power, and means for operating said reciprocating member so that whenever said punch member is moved to its most extended position it will register with the heads of the cartridges on the ends of :adjacent pairs of clips being urged along said guideway, whereby the punch will force the so contacted cartridges out of their clips to lo-osen the remaining cartridges and cause their fall from the clips by force of gravity.

6. A cartridge declipping machine, including, a guideway along which clips to be unloaded of their cartridges are made to move, a reciprocating feed member operating parallel to said guideway to move the clips predetermined distances to predetermined positions therealong, a reciprocating punch member located perpendicular to said feed member and guideway and slidable into and out of the clips in :axial alignment therewith so as to engage an end of at least one cartridge and push cartridges so contacted out of the clips, a cam shaft, a cam secured to and rotatable with said cam shaft, a follower for said cam, a cam arm to one end of which said follower is supportingly attached, a slide shaft to which the other end of said cam is attached, a lever having a rst end connected to said punch member and between its first and second ends being connected to said shaft, a spring secured between said llevers second end and another part of the machine for customarily holding said lever so that it keeps said punch member away from said clipped cartridges but yielding to permit said cam and slide shaft to move said lever :and thereby move said punch member into contact with said clipped cartridges, and means for operating said reciprocating feed member so that whenever said punch member is moved to its most extended position it will register with the heads of cartridges on the ends of adjacent pairs of clips being urged along said guideway, whereby the punch member will force the so contacted cartridges out of their clips to loosen the remaining cartridges and cause their fall from the clips by force of gravity.

FRANK E. COSTELLO.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 337,117 Belcher Mar. 2, 1886 1,355,684 Northover Oct. 12, 1920 1,388,065 Schmitz Aug. 16, 1921 1,395,928 Northover Nov. 1, 1921 2,202,600 Reynolds May 28, 1940 

